Tour of the former Fair Mile Hospital, Cholsey
For those interested in Berkshire's rich history
The Fair Mile Hospital (before 1948 known by a succession of different names) was until relatively recently Berkshire’s county lunatic asylum.
If the term ‘lunatic asylum’ sends shivers of dread down your spine, be ready to adjust your perceptions. Consider the alternatives and try to understand that the Victorian asylum system was a well-founded effort to tackle mental illness head-on through compassion, diligent care and research. No mental institution was ever entirely sweetness and harmony, but these places made possible valuable advances in mental health care.
Ian Wheeler’s guided tour will take us around the site with a site plan to help visualise the site as it once was.
2 - 4pm
Numbers are limited, so pre-booking is required. Bookings close three days beforehand.
Image: The Fairmile Hospital front by Bill Nicholls, CC BY-SA 2.0
About Berkshire Family History Society
This tour is organised by Berkshire Family History Society CIO, a registered charity number 1204390.
